This invention relates to a suspending device for hand-held power hammers.
In the construction industry, it is often necessary to make repairs to hard surface walls that are spaced over ground beyond arm""s length. For example, maintenance repairs are periodically required on the superstructure of a motor vehicle highway overpass. This means that workers need to work from beneath, looking upwardly. Since some partial demolition of structure is required before repairs can be implemented, hand held power hammers form part of the required tools in this regard. Power hammers break concrete and other hard surfaces by the reciprocating motion of a hard tip tool. These power hammers are quite heavy, and can produce adverse medical conditions for the workers, induced by the hammer weight and vibrations produced by the operating hammer, for example the well known muscular tendinitis.
It is believed that there is a need for improvement and enhancement in the capabilities of existing suspending devices for hand held power hammers.
The main object of the present invention is to improve upon suspending devices for hand-held power hammers, which makes it possible for the operator to command and control a hand-held power hammer without having to carry the weight of the hammer.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system to counteract the moment of force generated by a power hammer striking a work surface.
A further object of this invention is to improve upon productivity of power hammer operations.
In accordance with the object of the invention, there is disclosed a pneumatic hammer support member for mounting to a ground spaced end portion of an articulated boom, said support member having an elongated rigid frame, mounting means mounted at an intermediate section of said elongated rigid frame for relative 3-axes movement of said support member relative to the articulated boom, a saddle system for releasable attachment of a pneumatic hammer to an outer end portion of said rigid frame, and a handle member integrally mounted to an inner end portion of said rigid frame opposite said outer end portion thereof, said handle member for hand grasping by an operator; wherein the operator is able to manoeuver said support member in a loadless fashion.
Preferably, said mounting means could include a hemispheric socket, a spherical ball bearing rotatably mounted into said socket, a connector integral with said socket for operative connection with the articulated boom, a shaft having an intermediate portion extending through said ball bearing, and opposite bracket members anchored to said support member rigid frame and rotatively engaged by opposite ends of said shaft. Said socket and said ball bearing could form part of a self-alignment bushing assembly.
The invention also relates to the combination of an articulated boom having a pair of first and second arms pivoted to one another about a one-axis boom inter-arm pivot mount, said first pivotal arm having an inner end fixedly mounted by a boom anchor mount to an anchor base, said second pivotal arm having an outer end, and a pneumatic hammer support member mounted to said outer end of said articulated boom second arm, said support member having an elongated rigid frame, mounting means mounted at an intermediate section of said elongated rigid frame for relative 3-axes movement of said support member relative to said articulated boom, a saddle system for releasable attachment of a pneumatic hammer to an outer end portion of said rigid frame, and a handle member integrally mounted to an inner end portion of said rigid frame opposite said outer end portion thereof, said handle member for hand grasping by an operator;wherein the operator is able to manoeuver said support member in a loadless fashion.
Preferably, said boom anchor mount includes means for relative one axis rotational movement of said boom first arm, and releasable lock means to counteract the moment of force generated by a power hammer striking a work surface.
The invention also relates to a self-supporting pneumatic hammer positioner for effortless command and control by an operator of a pneumatic hammer, said positioner comprising:xe2x80x94a rigid elongated template having a handle at a first end portion thereof, a saddle mount for a pneumatic hammer at a second end portion thereof opposite said first end portion thereof, and a 3-axes pivotal mount integral to an intermediate section of said elongated template intermediate said first end portion and said second end portion thereof;xe2x80x94an articulated boom member having an inner end portion and an outer end portion, said inner end portion pivotally mounted to said 3-axes pivotal mount;xe2x80x94an anchor base, said boom member outer end portion pivotally mounted about a one-axis mount to said anchor base.
A lock member could then be releasably mounted to said anchor base to counteract the moment of force generated at said boom member outer end portion relative to said anchor base, when the generated hammer strikes a work surface.
Said saddle mount could include:xe2x80x94a carriage, slidingly mounted over said second end portion of said template;xe2x80x94guide means, guiding said carriage for travel between first and second limit positions;xe2x80x94ram means, for biasing said carriage to slide to an extended operative condition intermediate said first and second limit positions andxe2x80x94attachment members, anchored to said carriage for releasably anchoring the pneumatic hammer to said carriage. A self-alignment bushing assembly could form part of said 3-axes pivotal joint assembly.
Preferably, the hammer positioner could further include:xe2x80x94second ram means, for power assist pivotal displacement of said articulated boom member; andxe2x80x94third ram means, for power assist rotation of said template relative to said articulated boom member.